The ability to create an effective portrait is probably the single most important skill any aspiring photographer must master. Few professional photographers, whatever their area of specialization, can hope to have a successful career without ever being called upon to create a likeness of another person. The Portrait Photography Course is designed to build a student photographer's experience and get him or her started on a rewarding career. Detailed tutorials cover every aspect of studio and location work, from composition and psychology to complex lighting schemes, equipment options, and digital retouching. Portfolios of exemplary images showcase individual photographers' work and demonstrate techniques explored in the tutorials, while interviews with top portrait photographers shed insight into their methodologies and philosophies. Presented and written by a leading portrait photographer, this book is an indispensable guide to taking professional pictures.¿

In an age of digital photography and advanced technology, viewers often neglect a photograph’s composition and aesthetic value in favour of its informative value. Principles of Design Through Photography is an investigation of how a particular principle of design - rhythm, harmony, contrast, balance and symmetry - is used in a composition, and how that composition will, in turn, help the photographer convey an effective message to the viewer. Each composition aims to give a visual experience of the principle of design that helps to better perceive a photograph. Each principle of design has been isolated as much as possible so that it can be understood and used in combination with other design elements. This book is an introduction to the way in which photographs can be read and appreciated, and will delight students of photography, aesthetes and those who are curious about design and photography.

Great photography begins at sunset - learn to photograph the night sky like a professional When the night sky transforms terrestrial landscapes into otherworldly works of art, you need to know the professional techniques for capturing your own nocturnal masterpieces. This complete course combines the classic beauty of landscapes with the vast, exotic universe of astrophotography, using tried-and-tested methods that guarantee stellar results. You'll learn what gear you need and how to make the most of it; clever tricks for squeezing out every drop of image quality from a pitch-black scene; and straightforward post-production workflows to create compelling compositions of the cosmos.

Create Better Compositions by Design The path to better painting begins with Mastering Composition. This effective guide blends clear, visual instruction with 5 step-by-step demonstrations to show you how to plan and paint your best work yet. Composition is the key, and here you'll learn to design paintings with new skill and confidence. It all begins with the armature or structure of the picture plane. Every great painting has one, and you'll see through several famous examples exactly how the Old Masters used armatures to create movement, narrative, harmony and fluidity. Based on these examples, you'll practice what you've learned following a series of hands-on demonstrations. Once you understand the basic principles of design, you'll be amazed at how quickly and effectively your compositions come together. Soon you will be painting more boldly and confidently than ever before with less reworking and overworking. Whether you're a beginner looking for basic instruction or a more advanced painter troubleshooting a specific problem, the proven methods in this book will work for you. Ideal for all mediums, Mastering Composition gives you the knowledge you need to create powerful paintings out of every subject.

A photography textbook for the digital age, packed with technical tips, practical excercises, contemporary images and step-by-step guidance for all aspiring photographers. Covers the use of image-manipulation software to improve digital imagery, including colour correction.

Creative Art: Methods and Materials educates readers about a variety of art methods and the ways different civilizations have used them in artistic expression. Each of the fourteen chapters is designed around a specific art method and material, and includes examples of art works and the artists who created them. Students learn about bronze casting, stone carving, clay sculpture, woodcuts and posters, glass work, and installation art. Each method is matched to artists both ancient and modern. Rather than adhering to a standard approach that focuses on white, male, European artists, the book broadens the student's perspective by including often overlooked female artists. Global in approach and comprehensive in coverage of arts forms, representations, and styles throughout history, Creative Art has been developed for sixteen-week courses in art appreciation, or introductory survey courses in art history.